Edo

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/edo

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Edo built?1603 by the Tokugawa shogunate
2. What is the meaning of name?Edo translates to 'bay entrance' or 'estuary'
3. What is the edo period duration?1603-1868
4. What was Edo and why did it become Japan's capital?Edo was a castle town that grew into a huge city. In 1603 the Tokugawa shogunate made it the capital, moving power from Kyoto.
5. How did people move to Edo and help it grow?The shogunate required feudal lords to spend alternate years in Edo, bringing many people and building roads, canals, and fire‑fighting systems.

Tokugawa shogunate: The feudal military government of Japan from 1603 to 1868, led by the Tokugawa clan.
Meiji Restoration: The political revolution in 1868 that restored imperial rule and initiated rapid modernization in Japan.
Sankin-kotai: A Tokugawa-era policy requiring feudal lords to reside in Edo for alternate periods, ensuring loyalty and stimulating the city's economy.
Ukiyo-e: A genre of Japanese art, particularly woodblock prints and paintings, depicting scenes of everyday life and landscapes.